TDA adapted the idea of the “apology gift,” for a print and online campaign for Cloudveil Mountain Works, a manufacturer of fine clothing for people serious about outdoor sports. TDA’s ads consist of suggestions for gifts to give a loved one whom a Cloudveil customer forgot about because they were having too good a time outdoors, wearing Cloudveil gear.

The basic concept is plenty clever. But Cloudveil takes the joke brilliantly further: rather than just suggest funny, generic gifts, the ads feature actual gifts one can purchase from actual companies, such as Zazzle and 1-800-FLOWERS, with live links enabling one to actually buy these gifts from Cloudveil’s website. This is charming, funny, totally brilliant stuff that reinvents the concept of cross-promotion.

TDA, better dust off a shelf: if there’s any justice in Advertisingland, this one’s going to win some awards.

I’m just really, really sorry I didn’t think of this great idea first. Congratulations, team TDA!